Fading Memories
by Inu-Tenshi
Summary: AU oneshot. Before Sesshoumaru died, he reflected back on the day when Kagome left him, not knowing an extrememly important fact. Kagome had died. Just a little while after leaving Tokyo. And they both never knew what happened to the other...if only...


**Fading Memories**

By: Inu-Tenshi

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha characters.

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(A/N: I'm in a mood for angst, so I decided to do this AU one-shot.)

How long has it been?

...10 long years...10 long years without _her_...

How had he managed to live without _her_? He lived on their precious memories together...

Sesshoumaru reflected back on the day Kagome left...

(Flashback)

_"Sesshoumaru...I'm sorry to say this, but...I'm leaving...for America," an 18 year old Kagome had said._

_"Is there a reason for this?"_

_"I'm...visiting a relative," she looked away._

_Somehow, Sesshoumaru could sense that she was lying, but did not __push__ the matter any further._

_"When?"_

_"In five hours," she still did not look at him._

_"I see."_

_Not being able to hold in her sorrow and reluctance, she blurted out her real feelings._

_"I don't want to leave..." she all but whispered._

_"And I don't want you to leave, but it must be for something important, otherwise, you would not leave me. Is that correct?"_

_She nodded, tears already making its way down, leaving wet trails behind._

_Not knowing how to comfort her, he did the only thing that came to mind._

_He pulled her in a __tight__ embrace, filled with unspoken sorrow and longing._

_Then...she left him._

_Just like that._

_A simple embrace, a simple goodbye._

_He never saw her again...and he couldn't help but wonder if she had forgotten him._

_His __heart__ ached._

_But he could do nothing about it._

_He couldn't go to America...she left no address._

_Besides, he had his family here...but...how he longed to go after her..._

(End Flashback)

Even now, he wondered why he never received a phone call, an email, or even a letter.

Perhaps...he was not good enough for her...

But...he never dated another, closing himself out from everyone...from the world.

Hoping that someday, she would come back.

Then, he would ask her to marry him...

But, that would never happen. That was just one of his many shattered dreams, and they all included _her_.

Sesshoumaru's grip tightened on the velvet box that held a ring.

Even as his life started to leave him, he loved her until the last minute...

He was told that he was struck with an unknown illness.

They could not cure him.

And he never expected them to.

It's just that...it's sad...dying without knowing how your love was doing.

Even knowing that she was with another would be better than not knowing anything at all.

But he never hated her. He couldn't.

Even while he breathed his last breath, he wished for her happiness.

The fact that Kagome was...not living anymore never crossed his mind.

And even now, her parents mourned her death.

She had had cancer...a curable disease...but she was not cured, in the end.

Knowing this, she had not wanted to tell Sesshoumaru of it...it would break his heart.

She had been treated in Tokyo, but the medication was not advanced enough.

Thus, she had been brought to America, her mother hoping that they would have better medication.

She was willing to pay any price.

But somehow, Kagome knew she would not make it.

She couldn't see _him_ ever again.

She still remembered her last letter to him...a letter that had never been sent.

She had been afraid to send it.

She wanted him to forget her, so that he would be happy.

But the problem was...she _didn't_ want him to forget her.

(The letter)

_Sesshoumaru,_

_You probably don't know this...but I have cancer._

_I came to America with high hopes, hoping that it would be cured._

_How I miss you...how I long to be with you..._

_But, we can never be together._

_Someone like me would only bring misery into your life._

_Live your life to the fullest and I wish you happiness._

_I love you...so much._

_-Kagome_

Half a year after leaving Tokyo, Kagome died.

And she was only 19.

Her family mourned day and night.

But they knew their tears could not bring her back.

If only Sesshoumaru knew all of this before he was gone.

If only Kagome had told him of her sickness.

If only Sesshoumaru had followed her that day...

If only, if only...

But these things just don't happen.

They were both gone now.

Nothing could be done.

In the end, they were just...fading memories...

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Author's Note:

If you have any questions regarding this one-shot, for example, things that confuse you or things you don't understand, please, feel free to ask me.

The plot of this story is created through my own imagination. There is absolutely no stealing, using, or borrowing unless you have been granted permission by myself.


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